Is all Classic Linen paper the same color?

[cgl102770]

I'm a graphic designer trying to reprint some letterhead for a client. Their current letterhead says "Classic Linen" in faint text on the page. I may be using an online printer for this, so I want to be sure the paper matches exactly. Are there different colors of Classic Linen, or will simply ordering Classic Linen mean it will be the same color since there is only one color? Thank you for any feedback.

 

[gordo]

No not the same color. "Linen" refers to the texture of the paper. You're probably looking at the paper's water mark - hold it up so that light shines through the paper and it should make the watermark easier to see. It's probably a Neenah paper product. Go online to see their color selection for this range of papers. Best to send a sample to your printer to match.

Gordo

 

[cgl102770]

Thank you very much Gordo. One last question...the printer who originally did these is out of business, so I don't know what ink was used. If I send a sample, can a printer tell what ink # was used? Or is it impossible to tell for sure, so they would just do their best guess?

 

[gordo]

Thank you very much Gordo. One last question...the printer who originally did these is out of business, so I don't know what ink was used. If I send a sample, can a printer tell what ink # was used? Or is it impossible to tell for sure, so they would just do their best guess?

That could be tricky. If it's a Pantone color or perhaps a corporate color then your customer should be able to give you the identifying color number. Otherwise it'll probably be someone's best guess - yours or the printer. Don't forget that most inks will be somewhat transparent and so the hue of the paper will alter the color appearance of the ink (e.g. a yellow ink on blue paper will look like a green ink even though it's not).

gordo

 

[chad.trent]

I would check with the customer to see if they got any proofs that had an ink color specified. They may have somewhere in their records what color was used. I've had that happen to me before. The client needed a "special blue color". I asked them if they knew the color and they didn't. They finally showed me some proofs they had received and the PMS color was on it. It was actually Reflex blue. But, they didn't tell me that because it wasn't listed as "PMS Reflex blue" and I had told them to get me a PMS color.

And, from what I've experienced, unless a customer can specify a PMS color or provide you with a branding guide or something similar, chances are they just want it close. They just want "a nice red" or a "dark gray" and don't care if it exactly matches the previous job.